Summary

On 1 June 2011, a Bell Helicopter 206B (III),
registered VH-BHU (BHU), departed Mossman Sports Ground, Queensland
for a local area charter flight. The flight was conducted as a weed
spotting operation and there was one pilot and three passengers,
acting as weed spotters, on board.

The aircraft was operating about 10-15 ft above the
tree top level when the pilot initiated a slow left turn and the
helicopter struck a dual-line powerline. The pilot was unaware that
there was a powerline in the vicinity prior to the collision. The
pilot applied control inputs to keep the helicopter level as it
descended though the tree canopy.

The helicopter landed in an upright position and the
pilot and three passengers were able to exit. The pilot and one
passenger sustained serious injuries, and the other two passengers
sustained minor injuries.

As a result of the accident, the helicopter operator
conducted a meeting to discuss the factors that led to the
accident, and highlight the hazards. They also issued a wire
awareness information pack to all current pilots and modified the
pilot briefing notifications to specifically highlight hazards when
working at low level. The Operations Manual was also being updated
to enhance the section on low level reconnaissance and changes were
made to the Emergency Response Plan.